1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to effluent treatment systems, and in particular, to an effluent treatment system that works based on a septic tank using pressure rather than gravity.
2. Background Art
While complex treatment systems involving chemicals, bacterial action, ultraviolet light, distillation, mechanical and chemical filters, large settling ponds, etc. are used to treat industrial and municipal waste water, the most common domestic waste water treatment system used in rural areas is the septic tank-soil absorption system. In the typical septic tank-soil absorption system, domestic waste water flows by gravity first to a septic tank (also called a holding or settling tank) where settleable and floatable solids is removed from the waste water. In the typical system, the clarified septic tank effluent then flows by gravity to a soil absorption field (also called a leach field) which filters and treats the effluent and distributes the effluent into the soil. In addition to removing solids, the typical septic tank also promotes biological digestion of a portion of the solids and stores an undigested portion (heavier solids called sludge which settles to the bottom of the tank) which must be periodically pumped out of the septic tank for proper disposal.
A preliminary patentability search in Class 210/Subclasses 605, 100 and 108, produced the following patents which appear to be relevant to the present invention:
Elston, U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/0008065, published Jan. 24, 2002, discloses a waste and waste water treatment and recycling system separates black water and grey water at their respective sources and includes a waste separation system for decomposing the black water into water vapor and carbon dioxide gas, a waste water treatment system for circulating, aerating, and separating the grey water into precipitated solid matter and treated water, and a filtration, disinfection, and water recycling system for filtering and disinfecting the treated water to form recyclable water.
Iwahori et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,563, issued Apr. 25, 1989, discloses a method of treating high-concentration organic waste water in dependence upon microorganism in which waste water is first anaerobically treated in an anaerobic operation tank in dependence upon anaerobic bacteria groups and methane bacteria groups; in which waste water is then further aerobically treated repeatedly in an aerobic operation tank, and an organic substance as hydrogen donor is supplied to the aerobic operation tank before the succeeding aerobic treatment; and then the treated water is decolored by ozone treatment.
McIntosh, U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,493, issued Apr. 21, 1992, discloses a grey water reclamation and reuse system for collecting, filtering and storing grey water for reuse where potable quality water is not required.
Humphrey, U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,586, issued May 19, 1992, discloses a sanitation system for treating a black water stream and a grey water stream with the black water stream inputted into a black water digester for being aerobically digested, and with the treated black water and the grey water stream then inputted into a black and grey water digester for being aerobically digested.
Behmann, U.S. Pat. No. 5,254,253, issued Oct. 19, 1993, discloses a modular shipboard membrane bioreactor system for allowing large sea-going vessels to dispose, on-board, liquid waste with a high solids content.
Smith et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,980, issued Jul. 15, 1997, discloses a system for treating waste water from a residential home, comprising a chamber adapted to hold the waste water, a first filter for removing coarse material from the waste water, a second filter for removing fine materials from the waste water, a disinfectant chamber using ultraviolet radiation to disinfect the waste water, and a pump for pumping the waste water from the chamber through the first and second filters and the disinfectant chamber.
Nawathe et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,986, issued Jul. 15, 1997, discloses process for aerobic treatment of waste water including the steps of collecting the waste water in a first tank; aerating the waste water in the first tank to promote aerobic treatment; transferring waste water from the first tank to a second tank; aerating the waste water in the second tank to promote further aerobic treatment; then allowing sludge to settle from the waste water in the second tank; then transferring the clear supernatant liquid from the second tank for dispersal and transferring the sludge from the second tank to the first tank. It is important in this process that no waste water is added to the second tank during the steps of aerating the waste water in the second tank, allowing sludge to settle from the waste water in the second tank, transferring clear supernatant liquid from the second tank, and transferring the sludge from the second tank to the first tank.
Drewery, U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,670, issued Sep. 16, 1997, discloses a system for controlling effluent discharge having an inlet for passing waste water, a filter connected to the inlet for removing solids from the waste water, a filtered water retaining tank connected to the outlet of the filter for accumulating a portion of the water passed from the filter, a filtered water outlet connected to the outlet of the filter to pass filtered water out of the system, and a controller connected to the filtered water retaining tank so as to selectively pass a flow of the accumulated water into the filter.
Berkman, U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,716, issued Aug. 22, 2000, discloses a system for purification of domestic household effluent that uses at least two dual-purpose vessels to treat the effluent so that, under normal use, sludge will have to be pumped from the system for up to ten years.
Elston, U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,775, issued Oct. 9, 2001, and Elston, U.S. Pat. No. 6,383,369, issued May 7, 2002, disclose waste and waste water treatment and recycling systems that separates black water and grey water at their respective sources.
None of these references, either singly or in combination, disclose or suggest the present invention.